Mowing machine



(Mdel.) 3 SheetS--Sheet 1. l

J. mm J1. V MOWI-NG MACHINE. .A v l No. 382,592. Patented May 8,1888, QV K n W JOSEPH DMN, JE., oir Kansas CITY, Missoula.

Mowl'Ne-MAcHlNE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent'No. 382,592, dated vMay 8, 1888. Application filed February 23, 1886. Serial No. 192.81.52. l(Model.)

T @ZZ whom it may concern: v

Be it known that I, JOSEPH DMN, Jr., of Kansas City, Jackson county, Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mow'ing-Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof. t

The object of my invention is to provide a xnowlng-machinearranged with a main axle that can vibrate in a vertical. plane and still not affect the position of the sickle-bar; and my lnvention consists in certain novel featuresof construction and combinations of parts, as

will be more fully described hereinafter, and pointed out inthe claims. y

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a plan vlew of a machine embodying my improve ments. Fig. 2 is a detail view of devices located on the end of the tongue for raising the,

front end of the machine from the ground.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation taken on line t t, f

Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a section through the machine, looking toward the front in Fig. l, and taken on transverse line n @,same ligure. Fig. 5 is a detail view, enlarged, ofthe devices which allow the axle of the machine to Avibrate or oscillate, the section being taken on line u u, Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a section through the same devices takenion line y y, Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a l side elevation of a machine embodying my improvements, and Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section through the machine on lineff, Fig.l 1.

The construction of themachine may be as follows: A pair of supporting and driving wheels, 24, are attached to the axle A in the usual manner, and having the usual ratehets to force the axle to revolve when either wheel moves forward,and which allow either or both of them to turn backward without revolving the axle and the sickleldriving mechanism.

On and about at the center of the length of the axle A a cast-iron ball or sphere, g, is located. This may be driven on the axle, and it has a steel pin, t, driven or screwed through it and through the axle at right angles to the axle, so that it will project'about'an inch on each side of the ball. The main gear-wheel `B is securely connected to this ball by a pair 'of castings, b, located on the axle and on opposite sides of the ball g. These castings are oppositely concaved or hollowed out, so as to fit the surface of the ball; but the hole in them, or the bearing for the ball, is made a little larger than the diameter PATENT OFFICE.' f

ofthe ball, so that the ball will not be clamped 'so tightly-as to prevent its free rotation.

From the bearing of the balla thebore of the Acastings b flares outwardly, and, the bore b .being kmuch larger than the axle A, it is -obvious vthat the axle can oscillate or movek a considerable distance from a true right angle! from the vplane of the main gear B withoutthrowing undue'strain on it and still be con nected to it. 1

. The castings b are made with hubs, which project vtoward the ground-wheels, and the 'outer surfaces of which form bearing-surfaces for the center of the platform, as shown by the letter g', Fig. 4. On the inner side of the castings-l b a rectangular4 recess, t, is formed for.v

the'purpose of clamping the internal periphery of the main gear-wheel B, and thereby securing it firmly to said castings. .A series of bolts passed through the flanges t5 of the castings and through the body of the said gear-` wheel make the three pieces practically one 4solid piece of metal, and is a Very desirable 'way of constructing them, as it will allow the ball to be removed and again inserted with- So but little trouble.l

On the inner surface of the castings b, and

on each side of the bearing for the ball g, a

notch or recess, t', is made for the reception of the projecting ends of the pin t. f This recess (or it may be called a short slot) extends in a direction that is' parallel to the axle A, and allows the ends of the pin to play freely when the axle is oscillated, as in passing over an obstruction or over rough ground. It should be observed, however, that `no matter howV much the axle may oscillate, the construction is such that it is always in a position to re-y volve the main is run forward.

Mountedon the hubs of the castings b, dif-l rectly contiguous to a ange or shoulder, b', formed thereon, or connected to the axle @in gear-wheel when the machine any other preferred way, is the platform 8,

` roo -which supports the gearing of the machine.

The frame C, that supports the cutter-bar H; Y

is made of a steel bar, preferably, and is all in one continuous piece. AOne end of this cont-inuous frame is connected to the cutter-bar' H and extends back to and inthe rear of the axle, where it is firmly connected to the rearl end of the platform 8. It then extends on around the said platform, and has its other end attached to the end of the cutter-bar that 1s opposite the point where the first-mentioned end of the continuous frame is attached. It will be noticed, then, that the continuous frame extends entirely around the machine, exceptlng only the front side, which is occupied by the cutterbar. Diverging from the said contlnuous frame at a point just in advance of the axle A is an arch-bar, L,which passes upward and over from one side to the other. Said arch-bar is connected at the middle of its length to the front of the platform 8 and in front of the gear-Wheel B, thus forming a very strong brace for the platform. By this construction the platform, the continuous frame C, the cutter-bar, and the arch-bar L are all rigidly connected together.

Connected to the frame C just in the rear of the arch-bar L, and embracing the axle A, is a pair of strrups, I. One of these strrups is located on each side of the platform, and they should be placed as near to the ground-wheels as possible, so as to afford a wide framing for the machine. These strrups have such a length as will permit the respective ends of the axle to rise and lower toa considerable extent without coming in contact with their ends. Mounted on the axle near each end, and fitted to engage the sides of the strrups I",`is aV grooved roller, I, the purpose of which is to diminish the friction which otherwise would occur if the strrups directly engaged the axle. It, or they, rather, (for there are two of them,) allow the axle to move up and down in the strrups perfectly free and easy. Yet with this construction the axle 'cannot move for- Ward or backward nor get out of line with the cutter-bar. late up and down.

The top o f the strrups I is braced by means of a bar or rod, a, running from the front end of the shoes G backward and connecting to the said strrups. The bars a also serve to guide the grass inwardly and out of the way of the wheels 24.

Mounted on the top of one of the strrups I, and having a suitable bearing there, is one end of ashaft or a rod, I5. One end of this rod has a cam, I", formed upon or afiixed to it, and on the opposite end is a hand-lever, L, by which the cam is brought in contact with the anti-friction pulley 17, and acts in an eccentric manner for the purpose of lifting one end of the framing and cutter-bar. The other side of the machine is fitted with another rod and cam that is like the one just described, and it has a handlever, I. Both of the hand-levers The axle can only move or osciltoothed bar l, also attached to the framingor the platform 8 on the opposite side of the drivers seat.

The operation of thelevers may be described as follows: By pulling back the lever I the right-hand side of the framing and the cut ter-bar will be raised from the ground, and by placing the lever I back to its normal position, .or as far forward as it will go, and pulling back the lever I', the opposite end of the cutter-bar will be raised, as shown in Fig. 3. Thus it will be observed either end of the cutter-bar H can be raised independently of the other. To prevent undue friction between the cams I6 andthe axle a roller, Il, is located on the axle just outside of the grooved roller I".

Pivoted to the forward end of the platform Sis the tongue T, which is braced from the arch-bar L by the braces d upon either side thereof, thus making it very strong sidewise. The rear end of the tongue has a casting, I, rigidly attached t0 it, and the rear edge of this casting is provided with a series of teeth, which engagea pinion, l?, mounted on or attached to a handlever shaft, P. A hand-lever, I, is located ou the outer end of the shaft P', and byvmoving it backward the sickle-bar or the cutter-bar H will be' raised from thel ground its entire length. As shown Vmore clearly in Fig. 2, the pinion l? is fastened on the shaft P in such a manner that it will have a limited amount of rotative play ou the same, so that in working the tongue will be allowed a lim- `ited amount of up'and-down motion without raising or pressing down on the cutter-bar. To explain more clearly, the pinion I is formed with a sleeve, s, on each of its sides, and these sleeves are cut away for a little distance at points whichare opposite each other, thereby forming opposite recesses or notches, r. A small pin, p, passes through the shaft P on each side of the pinion, and engages with the sides of the recesses r after thelimit of up or down motion ofthe tongue is reached. Hence by throwing the lever I1 sufficiently far back the pins p will engage the sides ofthe recesses mand the pinion P will be rotated and the cutter-bar Hwill be raised from the ground. The lever I2 is held in any desired position by means of a rack-bar, such as R.

The seat for the driver should be mounted on the rear end of the tongue T, so that his weight will partly relieve the horses necks from the weight of the tongue. The doubletree m is made sufficiently long to enable the horses to walk outside of the path ofthe shoes G, and the draft is communicated from the doubletree to the machine through a draft-rod, n, which is connected to the forward end of the platform 8 in any desired way; or it may have its rear end connected to the hook n, located on the 'gearingshield below the platform. A series ofhooks such as n can be located on the gearing-shield, so that the draftrod can be attached higher up or lower down, as may be desired. The doubletree is carried on ICO a slidem', that is loosely mounted on the tongue, and the forwarde'nd of the draft-rod a isattached to an ear, a, depending from its under side. In this way the draft of the horses will have a tendency to pull up on thecutter-bar and not allow the weight of the machine to be pulled by the tongue.

To prevent the slide n from cuttinginto the tongue T, I may place a metal plate such as e on the top side of the tongue. To support the cutter-bar H and theshoes G, the latter are provided with small guide-wheels K. Said guide-wheels can be fixed higher up or lower down in the shoes by removing the pin on which said wheels revolve and locating it in av hole, K', that is in a-differcnt plane, as may-be required.

Motion is communicated from the main gearwheel Bto the sickle H'through the medium of the following instrumentalities: Meshing with the main gear Bis asmall pinion, l, that is mounted on a transverse shaft, 20. Meshing with the bevel-gears 2 are a pair of small bevel-pinions, 3, which are mounted on longitudinal shafts 6. There aretwo of these shafts, one on each side of the main gear-wheel B, and on their forward ends are mounted the pitman wheels or cranks 4. A pair of pitmanrods, 5, extend out toward the ground-wheels from the cranks 4, and connect with'the rear end ofthe rocker shafts or bars F. The rockerbars F are pivoted at or near the middle of` their length by means of a pivot, F,to theforward end of the continuous frame C. The

forward ends of this frame maybe' termed the,

. Any other connection can be used here, howy on the pins F3.

ever, which will allow the rocker-bars to oscil- -late on their pivots without throwing astrain With the construction described, when the main gear-wheel is revolved, motion is communicated'from the pitmen to the rocker-bars and from them to the sickle, which will be positively driven from each of its ends.

It will be observed that the wrist-pins are so located in thevcranks that the rocker-bars move simultaneously and in the same direction. f

The slide n is provided with a stay-blockJL, on its upper side, against which the doubletree will bear and be stayed from swiveling so far around as to allow the feet of the horses to come in contact with the sickle. The cutterbar H is fitted with the usual guards for the sickle, as indicated more clearly inFig. 1.

In conclusion, I'would say that my machine is so constructed that the Vmain axle is perfectly free to vibrate in asubstantiall'y vertilcal plane independently of any part of. the* framing; or, in other words, no portion of the framing, or, in fact, no part of the machine,

oscillates lwith the axle in passing r.over obstructions'or in running 4upon rough ground.

Another point: raising either end of the cutter-bar by means of thcsmall levers I I does not throw the cutter barforward and its front edge upward, as in some machines of this the framing of the-machine which carries the cuttermechanism and its drivinggear mounted on said hubs, substantially as described.`r

2.. The combination ofthev main axle A, the ball g, fixed thereon, a pin, t, projecting beyond the surface of the ball, and a surrounding casting provided with an oblong recess, in which the projecting end of said pin vibrates, said recess having its longest diameter parallel with the main axle, for the purpose substantially as described.

3. yAL mowing-machine having the frame which ,carries the cutter mechanism and its driving-gear centrally pivoted to the mainwheel axle, whereby they are allowed a lat-, eral rocking movement thereon, in combina- TOO tion with stirrups secured atthe sides of said framing, and provided with lifting -levers having cams which engage anti-friction rollers upon the axle, whereby either end'of the cut.

ter-bar can be alternately raised and lowered,

substantially as described.

4. In a direct-draft mowing-machine having a continuous thrust-framing, the combination IIO of the framing andan arch-bar having its ends attached to the side bars ofl the framing, and supportingthe forward end of the platform of the machine at itsv arch, substantially as described.

5. The combination of the main driving- Wheels and their axle, the spherical support -upon the axle, said support` being provided with a pin projecting from its surface, a cast ing, b, having Haring .bores and oblongrecesses and mounted upon said spherical support, and

the cutter and drivin-ggear frames supported by said casting,.all arranged operate as described. f e 6. In. a mowing-machine, the combination of the main driving-wheels and their axle, a ball mounted upony the axle andprovided with a pin projecting from its surface, the casting b, loosely mounted upon-the ball, said casting. being provided with oblongrecesses i',-and encircled by a main gear-wheel, B,`andhaving the cutter and geary frames mounted thereon, all arranged and adapted to operate substan:` tially as described.: f .Y

land adapted. to.

7. The combination of the main gear B, the pinion 1,1nounted on transverse shaft 20, bevelgears 2, also mounted on said shaft, bevelpinions 3, mounted on longitudinal shafts 6 5 and meshing with the bevel-gears, and cranks 4, mounted on the forward ends of shafts 6, substantially as set forth.

8. In combination with the axle A, the roller l7 on the shaft, the cam 16, formed on or 1o secured to the shaft I5, and the operating-lever I, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. Ina mowing-machine, the combination of the tongue T, the toothed casting PZ, the 15 plnion P, having flanges and opposite recesses r in said anges, the shaft P', pins p, and an operating-lever, substantially as described.

10. In a mower, the combination of-the supporting-wheels, the axle, the main gear-wheel 2o mounted loosely thereon, so as to rotate therewith and rock laterally thereon, and the gear and cutter carrying frames mounted upon said wheel, substantially as described.

l1. A mower wherein the cutter-bar is rigidly connected at both ends to the thrust- 2 5 frame,said thrust-frame being rigidly attached to the gearcarrying frame and the latter being mounted on the main gear-wheel, and said gear-wheel mounted loosely on the main axle of the machine, so as to rotate therewith and 3o have a lateral motion thereon, whereby the cutterbar may conform to the undulations of the ground independent 0f the supporting wheels and axle, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in 3 5 presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH DAIN, JR. Witnesses:

J. W. NORTON, Jo S. DENNY. 

